How do I cover this door to give privacy?

[gawpingneighbour]

Hello,
I have new neighbours and he likes to stand in his upstairs bedroom and peer into my utility room. It's a straight line of vision, as I found out this morning when I was loading the washing machine without a top on. I've had a mastectomy for breast cancer and have never shown anyone it as I'm still anxious about it ; my neighbour had a clear view of the scar and I'm now really worried about going in the room.

I cannot see because chemo has meant I can't feel my fingertips so I can't adjust a net curtain to only fit the top.

My house is very modern and I really am not keen on a door curtain or door net curtain.

I thought about just sticking up some white card with blue tac for now but it'll look rubbish.

I was thinking of somehow Velcro-ing a voile panel to the top window part only. But they don't come in the size I need (62 x 106cm) and I can't adjust it as I cannot sew. And how would I stick the four corners of the material to the four corners of the upvc door?

Ideas very welcome. Thank you

There's always one

Get some DC Fix privacy film. Sold in B&q, the range, wilkos etc and amazon. Loads of designs.

I have a white striped one on my conservatory door, still let's in light and can see shadows behind it but can't make anything specific out. Looks quite modern, like those day/night blinds. Just cut to size then put it up with a bit of water.

Had to get it when a neighbour started commenting on specific items in the conservatory like it was totally normal to look through someone's windows then chat to them about their belongings weeks later

@Mmsnet101 the peeping Tom let it be know (via his mummy) that I shouldn't be using my laptop facing the windows, my back should be to the windows! So he was spying on me in my study-room as well.

Also my posture when I load and unload the tumble drier isn't correct apparently, says his mother. She is a retired chiropractor so felt it was her place to "inform me".

So they think it acceptable to spy on me and then comment to me on what I am doing wrong....

But I have never met him, I did go round to say hello when he moved in but his parents answered the door. He usually has all curtains closed all through the daytime, so you just see them twitching when he's spying.

His mother did tell me how much he likes his privacy so would appreciate it if my little girl doesn't knock on the door when her ball has gone over the fence; he wants her to wait for him to notice it and throw it back. This normally takes several weeks so I've stopped her playing anything now in the garden that could possibly go over the fence.

We did have a conversation once where she said he has no mental health conditions, no autism etc...he's just "very private".

Except when spying on me and my kids, it seems.

Hence I feel justified in calling him a reclusive wierdo.

And wanting to put something on the door to stop him seeing him.

I've ordered some film stuff now that looks like it'll match the blinds on the windows. Will keep you posted!

@gawpingneighbour that's creepy as hell. Nothing worse than feeling uncomfortable in your own home! It's OK for him to value his privacy...

with respect to everybody (& I am not making excuses for him!) some older parents are of the generation that they feel shame (or won't believe) about their offspring's difficulties/disabilities. He may well have some issue - & the fact that his dm took it on herself to criticize your lifting/seating arrangement is beyond strange & suggests the family are - well - apple not falling far from tree, springs to mind
Op sit opposite mirror & practice a raised eyebrow & saying "really?" whilst imagining shutting door!
Seriously op - our bodies as women are the formed from the battles we have won through life -having children, growing older, worry lines & the battle to overcome disease & scars from operations such as your mastectomy - my respect to you op

Yes the parents neighbours (a few roads over) have got a vile reputation. Their son has a respectable public-facing professional job so does have to leave the house. I know I have battle scars but none of us want someone to be staring at us when we are loading up the washing semi-clothed, surely?

DC Fix have a YouTube video showing you how to apply the film

www.brume.co.uk/c/2/window-film

www.purlfrost.com/window-film/

Do you have a local PCSO. You could ask them to come and have a chat with you and discuss the situation with them. They may suggest keeping a diary and have a word with him. You should feel safe in your own home. With regards to your door, for nighttime you could get a roller blind fitted to the actual door, I have one that is just wide enough to cover the window but lays behind the handle when closed, so the door is still useable.

There are some great ideas and recommendations on here, thanks. I will you tube that video and make sure it's wet before I attempt to put it on. He'll probably spy on me doing it and get his parents to come and tell me I'm doing it wrong

I have the frosted static film on some of my windows. Really easy to apply - and if it goes wrong you take it off and start again as there's no adhesive just, well, static! Spray window with water, place film, scrape from centre to edges to secure and push bubbles out. (I use a plastic scraper thing designed for applying wallpaper, can't remember what it's called.)

Like a pp mentioned you can only see shadows through it, even at night if I have lights on inside (I have tested it fairly extensively to check). I too looked at the one way / mirror films but rejected them because they're ineffective once it's dark outside and light inside.

In my case I'm the recluse (PTSD) but I don't peer into my neighbour's homes! It's horrible being watched in your private space.

Next time mum comes to tell you something ask her how she knows what you do, she must know he is looking at you, that's creepy. I would contact local police too and ask them for advice.

The knocking on the door to ask for a ball back is annoying. My neighbours kids used up the batteries in my doorbell in a matter of days.

The neighbour does sound a weirdo though.

I don't like the 'well meaning advice' that I have not asked for. I particularly dislike comments on my appearance - I could write a book on things I've had pointed out to me, but I do point out bad lifting techniques. Maybe I should bite my tongue.

Window film is probably your best bet. You can get it in Wilko.

I have film stuck to the window panes in my bedroom and it works well

He sounds odd and so his parents. The comments about which position in the room, you use your laptop is especially . Shame they don’t challenge his odd snoopy behaviour, as a child l was told off for staring

@Polyxena how dare she complain

As others have said window film is cheap, easy to apply and will do the job nicely. You can buy plain, all sorts of patterns or get it custom designed. I have it in my downstairs, front of the house utility and it works a treat.

A pricier option is perfect fit blinds. They push into the flexible bead around the edge of the glass, so you don't need any tools to fit them. You would need to measure accurately and then get them custom made, but there are lots of choices of colours and different types of blind to get whatever look you want.

Sorry to hear that you are being made to feel vulnerable in your own home, that's horrible.

Another vote for window film. It has the added bonus of looking really pretty when bright sun shines through it. I used it on a bathroom which didn't have very frosted glass.

I second the idea of speaking to the local PCSO. Definitely start keeping a diary of things that happen.

what about a couple of these, you can move them around so peepy can't see in
www.wayfair.co.uk/Brambly-Cottage--Quiroz-Wall-Mount-For-Room-Divider-E112268768-L2636-K~U000664076.html?refid=GX190833676790-U000664076&device=c&ptid=655169827876&targetid=pla-655169827876&network=g&ireid=41757695&device=c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIh86exNSE7QIVjNd3Ch1waAo5EAQYASABEgLNrfD_BwE

www.wayfair.co.uk/keyword.php?prefetch=false&class_id=&keyword=room+dividier

Thank you all. I do my best to be polite and friendly to his horrid parents as I don't like confrontation and don't want to fall out with neighbours. But it has got too much now, having him staring at my when I loaded my washing machine quickly without a top on is horrid for anyone, but having had a mastectomy and feeling very self conscious anyway and finding him gawping again is too much.

My DD used to ring his bell about once every month to ask for the ball back. Now I don't let her play with anything that could go over the fence.

I do think we have a right to have our homes as our sanctuary and his peeking and gawping is invading that. I will start a diary as suggested in case it escalates.

The window film is really good, we put it up in our kitchen window and it hasn't blocked out light that a closed blind does. Can't see in at all, even with the light on.

I have this type of door and have a roll down blind which I generally keep pulled down all day but film would also work

I have this on a similar style door www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/schottis-pleated-blind-white-20242282/